The present invention relates to a connector supporting structure. More particularly, it relates to a connector supporting structure by which a pair of male and female connectors are engaged with each other and fixed on a connector carrier.
Conventionally, this kind of connector supporting structure includes a connector previously attached to an instrumental panel etc. and another connector to be engaged with the connector by artificial manipulation. Note, in the following descriptions, the former connector on the instrumental panel will be referred as xe2x80x9cImmovable connectorxe2x80x9d, while the latter connector will be referred as xe2x80x9cmovable connectorxe2x80x9d. In this structure, the immovable connector is generally provided with a pair guide projections. Correspondingly, the movable connector has a pair of cam levers rotatably attached to a main body of the movable connector. The cam levers have respective cam grooves formed for engagement with the guide projections of the immovable connector. Each cam groove of the movable connector is provided with an inlet for accepting the guide projection of the immovable connector. In process of connecting the movable connector with the immovable connector, since respective leading ends of the cam levers butt against the panel, the cam levers are rotated due to reaction force from the panel. During this rotation of the cam levers, the guide projections of the immovable connector are respectively guided in the guide grooves of the movable connector, so that the movable connector is finally fitted to the immovable connector for integration.
In the above-mentioned conventional structure, however, the cam levers of the movable connector are easy to interfere with obstacles etc. in the handling or transporting stage of the movable connector before fitting to the immovable connector, due to their projecting form from the main body. According to circumferences, it is feared that the cam levers are damaged or broken due to the interference with the obstacles or the like.
Under the circumstances, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a connector supporting structure which is capable of preventing a cam lever from being damaged thereby to allow the lever to butt against a mounting object, such as panel, certainly.
The object of the present invention described above can be accomplished by a connector supporting structure comprising:
an attachment member;
a first connector to be temporarily engaged with the attachment member, the first connector having a first connector housing on which at least one guide projection is formed; and
a second connector for engagement with the first connector, the second connector having a second connector housing; and
at least one cam lever rotatably supported on the second connector housing, the cam lever having a cam groove formed therein to guide the guide projection of the first connector and a rotating handling part formed for abutment against the attachment member; wherein
the second connector housing has at least one protective cover part formed on one side of the front end of the second connector housing, the front end facing the first connector in arrangement; and
the cam lever is supported on the second connector housing in a manner that the rotating handling part occupies its position behind the protective covering part when the cam lever is arranged in its initial position against the second connector housing in advance of the engagement of the second connector with the first connector;
whereby the approach of the second connector toward the first connector allows the rotating handling part of the cam lever to abut against the attachment member and also causes the cam lever to be rotated thereby to engage the first connector with the second connector.
In the above-mentioned structure, the first connector is engaged with the second connector by the cam lever""s rotation while the guide projection is being inserted into the cam groove of the cam lever. When the cam lever is in the initial position, the rotating handling part of the cam lever occupies the position behind the protective covering part of the second connector housing facing the attachment member. Therefore, since the rotating handling part is protected from its outside by the protective covering part, it is possible to prevent the rotating handling part from being damaged by obstacles etc. Thus, it is possible to prevent the cam lever from being broken, also preventing the inappropriate engagement between the first connector and the second connector.
As the second aspect of the invention, in the above connector supporting structure, the attachment member comprises a cylindrical bracket which is fixed on an opening of a plate member to have a cylindrical port communicating with the opening of the plate member, the bracket being adapted so as to have the first connector temporarily engaged therein and also having a guide part formed on an inner face of the bracket to guide the protective cover part to an innermost part of the bracket.
Owing to the provision of the guide part, the positioning of the second connector to the first connector can be easily effected by the movement of the second connector approaching the first connector in a direction to engage the former connector with the latter connector. That is, according to the invention, the fitting operation between the first and second connectors can be accomplished easily and certainly.
As the third aspect of the invention, in the above connector supporting structure, the bracket has an engagement step part formed behind the guide part in a direction to engage the first connector with the second connector, for engagement with the rotating handling part.
Owing to the provision of the engagement step part, the rotating handling part, which has been guided into the innermost part of the bracket by the guide part, is engaged with the engagement step part. Therefore, when the second connector is further moved in the direction to engage the first connector with the second connector, the cam lever having the rotating handling part under the immovable condition is rotated with respect to the second connector housing, allowing the guide projection in the cam groove to be moved. In this way, the engagement (fitting) operation of the first and second connectors can be progressed.
As the fourth aspect of the invention, in the above connector supporting structure, the guide part is in the form of a projection having a slant face inclined to the direction to engage the first connector with the second connector.
Owing to the provision of the slant face, when fitting the second connector to the first connector, the second connector housing is guided on the slant face smoothly. Thus, the positioning of the second connector to the first connector can be effected furthermore.
As the fifth aspect of the invention, in the above connector supporting structure, the cam lever is provided, in the vicinity of the rotating handling part, with a lever temporary-engagement piece which is engaged with the second connector housing, for temporarily engaging the cam lever in the initial position.
Then, in the previous stage before fitting the first connector to the second connector, the positioning of the cam lever in the above initial position can be ensured by the lever temporary-engagement piece engaging with the second connector housing.
As the sixth aspect of the invention, in the above connector supporting structure, the cam groove has at least one part formed so as to gradually approach a rotational center of the cam lever.
Owing to the above formation, the part of the cam groove operates to let the guide projection forcibly come near the rotational center of the cam lever by so-called xe2x80x9cforce-magnifyingxe2x80x9d effect. Thus, even if the force to press the second connector is small, it is possible to let the guide projection come near the rotational center certainly, developing the engagement between the first connector and the second connector furthermore.
As the seventh aspect of the invention, in the above connector supporting structure, it is established that a distance between the part of the cam groove and the rotational center is smaller than a distance between the rotating handling part and the rotational center of the cam lever.
Owing to the establishment of the above distances, when releasing the engagement between the first and second connectors, the guide projection is subjected to the xe2x80x9cforce-magnifyingxe2x80x9d effect and easily driven in a direction apart from the second connector in spite of the operator""s small force to separate the first connector from the second connector.
As the eighth aspect of the invention, in the above connector supporting structure of the third aspect, the bracket has a temporary engagement piece formed for engagement with the guide projection of the first connector thereby to effect the temporarily engagement of the bracket with the first connector.
As the ninth aspect of the invention, in the above connector supporting structure, the temporarily engagement of the bracket with the first connector is released by the cam lever on the second connector when the second connector is engaged with the first connector.